Here's the lineup on Philadelphia-area stages tonight & in the coming week

Soul-gospel legend Mavis Staples is at World Cafe Live on Monday.

staff

Posted: October 01, 2010

Live music and more, tonight through Thursday, compiled by Shaun Brady, Tom Di Nardo, James Johnson, Sara Sherr and Jonathan Takiff.

POP . . . plus

B-52s: Inspiration for so many (like Scissor Sisters and Of Montreal) but seldom duplicated, the dance-pop cutups open the doors to their "Love Shack" and "Party Out of Bounds." Rest assured, there'll be "Rock Lobster" for all! Electric Factory, 8 tonight, $39.50, 215-627-1332, www.electricfactory.info.

Billy Price/Cafe Ole: Local promoters Larry Goldfarb and Jesse Lundy take over Friday night bookings at a popular suburban locale, bringing back the regional bands that once made this club hotter than hot. Here's two from the top of their blue-eyed soul and rock wish list. Brownies 23 East, 23 East Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, 9 tonight, $12, 610-649-8389, www.brownies23east.com.

Blue Method: Get your groove on with these original soulpop funksters. And there's more from opening act Sophistafunk. Blockley Pourhouse, 38th and Chestnut streets, 9 tonight, $12, 215-222-1234, theblockley.com.

The Gracious Few: Kevin Martin (of Candlebox fame) is out front, with the hard core of the band Live rocking behind him on this new band steeped in classic rock (especially Led Zep), yelling and vamping. Works for us. With Foster Child. TLA, 334 South St., 9 tonight, $23 and $15 (each in 4-pack), 800-745-3000, livenation.com.

Van Dyke Parks: Visionary sound painter helped color the Beach Boys' most progressive music, crafted one of the most name-checked (yet rarely heard) albums, "Song Cycles," and is still called in by admirers like Sufjan Stevens for art-pop enhancements. There's some Old South musical historian and a lot of Hollyweird in Parks' head. Here, he'll be backed by the whimsical Claire and the Reasons, also performing as the opening act. They've been collaborating on a concept album of music from the last "Great" Depression. Upstairs at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 7 p.m. Sunday, $20 and $22, 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

Switchfoot: Anthemic rockers are imbued with Christian consciousness, though nonbelievers can also catch the fever. With the Almost. Electric Factory, 7th and Willow streets, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, $22.50/$25, 215-627-1332, electricfactory.info.

Groove Lily: Now focusing mostly on musical theater creations, this small club show is a rare one indeed for this striking trio. Tin Angel, 20 S. 2nd St., 8 p.m. Sunday, $15, 215-928-0978, www.tinangel.com.

Little Feat: Glad to see these jam rockin' Dixie chickens pecking again, following the death in August (liver cancer) of drummer Richie Hayward. Havana Bar, New Hope, 8 p.m. Monday. It's sold out, but WMGK is giving out tickets, 215-862-1933, www.havananewhope.com.

Mavis Staples: Soul-gospel legend has a new attitude, thanks to her collaborations with producer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco fame) for her just out "You Are Not Alone" set. Tweedy dug deep into Staples' musical history, before forecasting where she should go next with tunes like the political "Only the Lord Knows" and a title track sung with her late dad in mind. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8 p.m. Monday, $27.50-$50, 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

Four Year Strong: Craving something brash and punchy in a Green Day vein? The tuneful power punk overfloweth on this full bill, also featuring Canadian exports Comeback Kid, the Wonder Years and American Fang. Starlight Ballroom, 460 N. 9th St. 6 p.m. Monday, $15/$17, 821-7575, www.r5productions.com.

Luka Bloom: Irish folksingers don't come any more poetic, fervent and enrapturing than this romantic brooder, sure to open the pages of his new CD songbook, "Dreams of America." Sellersville Theater, Main and Temple streets, Sellersville. 8 p.m. Thursday, $21.50,215-257-5805, www.st94.com.

Built To Spill: Doug Martsch and friends are still serving up reverberant jams in the Neil Young and Crazy Horse game. And more desirable than ever when Young's off doodling (like now) in solo-ville. Love as Laughter steers to the stage with garage pop. too. Trocadero, 10th and Arch streets, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, $22/$23, 215-922-6888, www.thetroc.com.

HIP-HOP, R&B

The Bounce: Resident DJs Emynd and Bo Bliz take the turntables every first Friday spinning hip-hop, reggae and R&B hits. Featuring guest DJ Philly Will and an open bar until 11 p.m., it's one of the best ways to enjoy your night. Barbary, 951 Frankford Ave., 9 tonight, $5, 215-634-7400, myspace.com/thenewbarbary.

2Soulidified 2.0: Second installment of this celebration of soul music features a Prince theme, so expect to hear plenty of his hits from DJ Afrodjiak. Featured performers include singers Kimberly Nichole and Kyra Climbingbear, with local R&B duo U.City serving as host. World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 9 p.m. Thursday, $10, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.

!!!: After losing two members last year (the departure of founding member John Pugh and the tragic death of drummer Jerry Fuchs), the bicoastal, punk-funk party band, a/k/a Chk Chk Chk, returns with a new album, "Strange Weather Isn't It." Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 8:30 p.m. tomorrow, $18, all ages, 215-627-1332, www.livenation.com.

The Tallest Man on Earth: After touring with John Vanderslice and Bon Iver, Swedish singer/songwriter Kristian Matsson is much buzzed about for his rapid-fire strumming and his young Dylanesque voice. Theater of the Living Arts, 334 South St., 9 p.m. tomorrow, $15, all ages, 215-922-1011, www.livenation.com.

Clean Equations: Led by singer/songwriter/chemical engineer Mike Nyhan, this collective includes members in Philly, New York City and Australia. The New Order-ish group is throwing a bash for the release of "People/Variables." With the Great Vibration and Conversations With Enemies. Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9 p.m. tomorrow, $10, 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.

Dixy Blood: During shows, the newly countrified former members of the Sickidz do the most punk thing of all: turn the volume way down or sometimes sing a cappella. They open for fellow punk countrymen Broken Prayers. Tritone, 1508 South St., 10 p.m. tomorrow, $5, 215–545–0475, www.tritonebar.com.

Rarebirds: After over a decade, the Philly indie-pop band led by talented Carolynne McNeel plays its last show here as McNeel takes up permanent residence in Cleveland and bassist Ben Morgan (who also performs as MC Digga) leaves for Liberia. It also doubles as a record-release party for their final effort, "State Lines." M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 8 p.m. Sunday, $8, 215-739-5577, www.themanhattanroom.com.

Zuby Nehty: Those looking for forgotten footnotes in the deep history of women in punk and new wave should check out this reformed '80s Czech group, for whom just forming a band was a political act in their communist-ruled country at the time. Musically, they've been compared to Magnetic Fields, Lilliput and Roxy Music. They play with fellow Czech pioneers Uz Jsme Doma. Also on this very interesting bill are Connecticut avant-rockers Magik Markers and West Philly's Holy Wind . . . Electric Simcha, a group that describes itself as "old school Hasidic punk rock." M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 8 p.m. Tuesday, $8, 215-739-5577, www.themanhattanroom.com.

Ratatat: For their fourth album, "LP4," the instrumental duo has added instruments from around the world, such as Iranian drums and Japanese strings. Dom opens. Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 8 p.m. Wednesday, $22-24, all ages, www.r5productions.com.

Terence Blanchard: Trumpet great and his mother were among the victims of Hurricane Katrina profiled by Spike Lee (whose films Blanchard has scored for years). The experience inspired Blanchard's Grammy-winning "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)," pieces of which Blanchard and his ensemble will perform in Philly at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m., trumpeter and composer extraordinaire Hugh Masekela takes the stage. Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St., Sunday, $60, 215-898-3900, annenbergcenter.org.

Jennifer Leitham: If the name doesn't seem familiar, it may be because when Leitham performed with greats from Benny Carter to Peggy Lee to Gerry Mulligan, it was as John Leitham. The transgender bassist has since undergone sex-reassignment surgery and released a pair of solo CDs under her new name. Cheltenham Arts Center, 439 Ashbourne Road, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, $5-$10, 215-517-8337, www.jazzbridge.org.

Jim DeSalvo and One: Jazz Bridge's "Jazz in the Wood" season opens with pianist DeSalvo, a Bill Evans disciple who came up through the New York loft scene of the 1970s. Collingswood Community Center, 30 Collings Ave., Collingswood, N.J., 7:30 p.m. Thursday, $5-$10, 856-858-8914, www.jazzbridge.org.

CLASSICAL

Philadelphia Orchestra: "Beyond The Score" presentations by host Gerard McBurney and actor David Howey have been richly illuminating, offering discussion, video examples and a final performance under the baton of Charles Dutoit. "Is Music Dangerous?" features Shostakovich's powerful Fourth Symphony, unplayed for 25 years because of Soviet political repression. Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce streets, 7 p.m. tonight, $15-$55, 215-893-1999, www.philorch.org.

Delaware Symphony Orchestra: David Amado conducts the season opener with two works by John Adams, including the popular "Short Ride on a Fast Machine," Samuel Barber's familiar Adagio for Strings and Respighi's Technicolor "Fountains of Rome." Jon Kamura Parker will solo in Barber's Piano Concerto. Grand Opera House, 818 N. Market St., Wilmington, Del., 8 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, $27-$57, 80-374-7263, www.delawaresymphony.org.

Tempesta di Mare: Imaginative Baroque orchestra offers music that was played by - and composed for - Dresden's orchestra at the height of its musical fame. Concertos by Vivaldi and Fasch, an Overture by Hasse, Zelenka's Capriccio and a Lute Concerto by Silvius Weiss will take listeners back 275 years. Friends Arch Street Meeting House, 320 Arch St., 8 p.m. tomorrow; and Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave., 4 p.m. Sunday, $25, 215-755-8776, tempestadimare.org.

Sheldon Harris Ginsberg Memorial Scholarship Fund Benefit Concert: Philadelphia Orchestra bass trombonist Blair Bollinger shows another side of his musical prowess as he conducts the professional orchestra in this benefit. The program begins with Schubert's rarely heard "Die Freunde von Salamanca" and continues with two Beethoven Piano Concertos: No. 3 with Claire Belkovsky as soloist and No. 5, the famous "Emperor," with Marja Kaisla at the keyboard. Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Road in Abington, 8 p.m. Sunday, $30 for concert and 7 p.m. show of paintings by Sandy Day, 215-529-0582, regolconcerts.org.

Friederike Haufe and Volker Ahmels: German piano duo from Dresden (she's from the former East Germany) and Hamburg (West Germany) are celebrating the 20th anniversary of that country's unity. They'll play three pieces by Mendelssohn: Schumann's "Oriental Pictures," Schubert's F Minor Fantasy and three of Brahms' Hungarian Dances. German Society of Pennsylvania, 611 Spring Garden St., 3 p.m. Sunday, $20, 215-627-2332, germansociety.org.

Academy of Vocal Arts: The annual Giargiari Bel Canto Competition is always an audience favorite, with three panelists and the audience judging. Many of the winners, and many of the nonwinners, too, are now major stars, and magnificent singing is guaranteed. Vocal coach Danielle Orlando will do the marathon accompanying at the keyboard. Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, $35, 215-893-1999, www.avaopera.org.

Peter Nero and the Philly Pops: The Broadway show is always a season highlight. This one features hits from "Mamma Mia," "Dream Girls" and "Hair," along with some vintage tunes from the Great White Way. His guest singers are repeat favorites Christine Noll and Gary Mauer, with Capathia Jenkins and the Voices of the Pops. Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, 7 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Oct. 8 and 3 p.m. Oct. 9-10, $27-$110, 215-893-1999, www.phillypops.org.